20 complaints reported

2011 Kia Forte Air Bags

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
20
Crashes
12
Fires
0
Injuries
10

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

May 2025

WCS Sensor Defect B1322-20 - Airbag Code WCS Communication Error B1324-20 - Airbag Code Door Ajar Lamp Circuit Failure B1323-20 - Airbag Code

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2025
Feb 2020

TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL SC165. WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR REMOVING/READING THE AIRBAG SENSORS. THE ESTIMATE TO READ THE CODES IS $150 THAT CAN THEN GO TO COST OF REPAIRS. WHY WOULDN'T A RECALL ON THE AIRBAG SYSTEM INCLUDE READING THE SENORS AND ENSURING THEY ARE WORKING PROPERLY?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2020
May 2019 Crash Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED A CUT TO THE HEAD, AND INJURIES TO THE LEGS AND HIP. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. POLICE REPORT NUMBER: 1820224 WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2018
Mar 2019

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CORRECT RECALL ISSUE (18V363). COMPLETED THE WORK AND SAID IT WAS FIXED. MY AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS "ON". INTERIM NOTICE ON RECALL MENTIONED IF AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND REMAINS ILLUMINATED TO TAKE TO DEALER. I BELIEVE, BECAUSE OF THIS, THAT THE TWO ARE RELATED AND THE REPAIR SHOULD LEAD TO THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOING OUT. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE $200 TO CORRECT IT WITH A NEW SEATBELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. IS THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINING ILLUMINATED RELATED TO SAFETY RECALL 18V363?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2019
Feb 2019 Crash Injury

TAKATA RECALL: I WAS INVOLVED IN A NOT AT FAULT SIDE IMPACT CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND I WAS INJURED AND AM CURRENTLY SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2019
Nov 2018 Crash Injury

TAKATA RECALL. WE WERE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT WHEN WE WERE REAR ENDED ON 4/2/18. THE DRIVER WAS GOING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 50-70 MPH. MY AIR BAGS NEVER INFLATED CAUSING ALOT OF INJURIES. MY DRIVER HEAD REST WAS EJECTED CAUSING INJURY TO MY DAUGHTERS FACE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2018
Nov 2018 Crash Injury

IN APRIL 2016 MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH TOTALED OUR KIA FORTE 2011. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT I SPENT ENDLESS WEEKS WITH VARIOUS REPRESENTATIVES FROM KIA EXPRESSING MY CONCERN. I SEE THE RECALL HAS TAKEN PLACE BUT ALMOST 2 YEARS LATER AND AFTER PEOPLE HAVE DIED. I AM APPALLED, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE DID AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO AND THAT AIR BAGS DONT ALWAYS DEPLOY. KIA CORPORATE WAS AWARE THERE WAS AN ISSUE. MY WIFE DID NOT DIE BUT OBVIOUSLY FROM THE ENCLOSED PICTURES THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE. MY WIFE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND THEN THROWN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT WHICH TIME THE DRIVERS DOOR FLEW OPEN YET NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED TO PROTECT HER. PEOPLE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE THESE DEATHS COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2016
Oct 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2018
Sep 2018 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A FIRE HYDRANT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTHWEST KIA AUSTIN (13175 N US-183, AUSTIN, TX 78750, (512) 583-1900), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO SOUTHWEST KIA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,252.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2018
Sep 2018 Crash Injury

I HAD A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY& SAFETY BEHIND THE WHEEL OF MY 2011 KIA FORTE WHEN I WAS SUDDENLY FACING A HABITUAL DRUNK DRIVER, CREAMING US HEAD-ON AND MY AIRBAGS FATO DEPLOY. I HAVE UNDERGONE 8 SURGERIES TO TRY TO REPAIR MY BROKEN BODY. I LOST MY FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS BECAUSE MY AIRBAGS FAILED ME. IS THERE A MONETARY VALUE TO KIA'S RESPONSIBILITY?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2013
Aug 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED CAMELBACK KIA AT 602-388-1276 (LOCATED AT 1450 E CAMELBACK RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85014) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Aug 2018 Crash Injury

MY AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN A HABITUAL DRUNK DRIVER HIT US HEAD-ON 7/11/2013. I HAD A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT MY AIRBAGS WOULD KEEP ME SAFE. I HAVE REQUIRED 8 SURGERIES TO MEND MY BROKENNESS, INCLUDING A COMPLETE HYSTERECTOMY, BILATERAL SACROILIAC JOINT FUSIONS AND TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2013
Aug 2018

HELLO, LONG STORY SHORT, KIA HAS FAULTY AIRBAGS I HAVE A VERY PREGNANT WIFE. THEY HAVE YET TO DIE RIGHT BY THE CUSTOMER AND OFF SAFE VEHICLES TO REPLACE THESE UNTIL A FIX IS FOUND. I WENT TO KIA IN TURNERSVILLE NJ TO HAVE A HUB ASSEMBLY REPLACED. AT THIS TIME I REQUESTED THE TECHNICIAN TO RUN THE VIN FOR AN AIRBAG RECALL I SAW ONLINE, THIS WAS IN JUNE. HE CAME BACK SAYING HE CHECKED AND IT IS ALL CLEAR AND I ASKED HIM TO CHECK AGAIN MAINLY BECAUSE SHE IS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT. ONCE AGAIN TOLD IT WAS CLEAR. TODAY I RECEIVED SOMETHING IN THE MAIL FROM KIA REGARDING MY PREGNANT FINANCES AIRBAG IN FACT BEING RECALLED. SHE HAS BEN DRIVING LIKE THIS FOR TWO MONTHS AND WASN'T LIED TO AND MADE TO FEEL COMFORTED THAT ALL WAS FINE! I CALLED AGAIN TODAY AND WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T ANYHTING TO BE DONE YET AND MY WIFE WILL BE FINE JUST DRIVE CAREFULLY AND THE AIRBAG IS FINE PROBABLY. SO WE HAVE A FAULTY VEHICLE WE HAVE PAID FOR YEARS AND NOW OWN AND CANNOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING ANYWHERE. IN MY OPTION KIA AND HYUNDAI SHOULD HANDLE THIS IN THE SAME MANNER HONDA DID AND HONOR THE CUSTOMER WITH RENTALS UNTIL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED. IF NOT I AM SURE A LARGE SCALE LAWSUIT WILL ENSUE BECAUSE THIS IS NOT BEING HANDLED CORRECTLY. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY STILL HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF A RECALL UNTIL AFTER THE CONSUMER, ANOTHER BOLD FACE LIE FROM KIA. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE KOUP, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2018
Apr 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED CAMPBELL NISSAN OF EDMONDS (24325 WA-99, EDMONDS, WA 98026, (425) 774-2174) SEVERAL TIMES, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Mar 2018 Crash Injury

I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHERE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT THEN LANDED ON MY FRONT WINDSHIELD AND TOP OF MY CAR CAUSING IT TO BE TOTALED. AT IMPACT AND DESPITE WEARING A SEATBELT MY CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND CAUSED EXTREME BRUISING AND PAIN. THE ROAD WAS SLICK WITH RAIN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2018
Feb 2017 Crash

IN JULY OF 2016, I WAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE 495 BELTWAY AND HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES AT ONE POINT FROM HITTING THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH AND THEN PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR HAD A LOT OF DAMAGE AND I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THAT ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON TWICE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THE DEALERSHIP JUST RESET IT WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC AND HAVE IT FIXED. I AM IN VIRGINIA AND CANNOT HAVE THE CAR PASS INSPECTION WITH THE LIGHT ON. I'M FURIOUS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND KIA!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2016
Sep 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DRIVER SIDE SHOULDER AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT LOCKED. THE KEY FOB WAS DEPRESSED AT THE TIME OF DEPLOYMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000. UPDATED 11/12/15*LJ; UPDATED 4/5/18*JB *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2015
Nov 2012 Crash Injury

I WAS STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY AND REAR ENDED THEN PUSHED INTO A PKUP IN FRONT OF ME AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY VEHICLE ENDED UP BEING TOTALED OUT DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE REAR AND FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CAR THAT HIT ME WAS SKIDDING AND TRAVELING AT APPROX 30-35 MPH. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2012
Jun 2012 Crash Injury

TL* TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, SHE VEERED INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE IMPACT WAS TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF BOTH VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SALVAGE YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE ACCIDENT WAS BEING INVESTIGATED. UPDATED 7/26/12 *CN UPDATED 08/06/12

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2012
Apr 2011 Crash Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE INJURIES INCLUDING BROKEN RIBS, CONCUSSION, NECK AND BACK PAIN, MULTIPLE CONTUSIONS, AND THE PASSENGER NEEDED KNEE SURGERY. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2011

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Kia Forte has 20 Air Bags complaints on file. 12 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.